In a rare move Wednesday evening, a hiring firm counseled the Eugene 4J school board to pause their superintendent search. It’s meant to help the board work on their own relationships.
Monica Rosen with Alma Advisory Group spoke to the five board members present at the work session. The planned agenda had been an update on recent community engagement forums. Instead, Rosen said the divisions they’ve observed are an obstacle to moving forward. “We really feel that potential candidates really need to see authentic signs of progress, reaching across lines of differences on the board and engaging in healthier ways to move forward," she said. "We just feel at this point, this is in the critical path of finding your best next leader.”
Rosen said strong superintendent candidates will want a board that functions well and can get things done.
The board agreed to decide at its next scheduled meeting, with all seven members present, whether and when to have a work retreat, perhaps facilitated by Alma. Rosen suggested a one-month break from the search would extend hiring from April to May.